A DNA barcode reference library for CITES listed Malagasy species.

On Madagascar, the illegal and unsustainable exploitation and illegal international trade of (rosewood) precious woods remain a serious conservation problem. Members of this genus are at high risk of extinction as a consequence of logging, mining, and slash and burn agriculture. Morphological identification of these Malagasy species is difficult in the absence of flowers and fruits, especially in the case of cut trees, sawn wood, and finished product.

One-Step Green Synthesis of Water-Soluble Fluorescent Carbon Dots and Its Application in the Detection of Cu.

Renewable biowaste-derived carbon dots have garnered immense interest owing to their exceptional optical, fluorescence, chemical, and environmentally friendly attributes, which have been exploited for the detection of metals, non-metals, and organics in the environment. In the present study, water-soluble fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized via facile green microwave pyrolysis of pine-cone biomass as precursors, without any chemical additives. The synthesized fluorescent pine-cone carbon dots (PC-CDs) were spherical in shape with a bimodal particle-size distribution (average diameters of 15.

Three-dimensional hierarchical porous carbon structure derived from pinecone as a potential catalyst support in catalytic remediation of antibiotics.

In this study, pinecone was converted two stage pyrolysis to produce low cost activated carbon. Furnace pyrolysis was used in the first step to convert pinecone to carbonized material, followed by microwave pyrolysis of the carbonized material activated with KOH to obtain activated carbon (ACK) materials as a suitable catalyst support. The ACK samples were characterized by their morphology, structural, adsorption and electrochemical properties.

Application of Chloroplast Phylogenomics to Resolve Species Relationships Within the Plant Genus Amaranthus.

Amaranthus species are an emerging and promising nutritious traditional vegetable food source. Morphological plasticity and poorly resolved dendrograms have led to the need for well resolved species phylogenies. We hypothesized that whole chloroplast phylogenomics would result in more reliable differentiation between closely related amaranth species.

From Binuclear Complexes to Molecular Necklaces: Incorporating Flexible Ligands into Rotaxanes.

The conversion of binuclear complexes into larger molecular necklaces can be achieved through rigidifying flexible ligands by threading them through a crown ether to form either an interpenetrated [2]pseudorotaxane or a permanently interlocked [2]rotaxane. The resulting complexes and assemblies are characterized by (1) H and DOSY NMR in solution and single-crystal X-ray diffraction in the solid-state.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting.

Background And Objectives: Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP) occur commonly. Possible harmful side-effects of conventional medicine to the fetus create the need for alternative options to relieve NVP. This systematic review (SR) investigated current evidence regarding orally administered ginger for the treatment of NVP.

Colour coding the co-conformations of a [2]rotaxane flip-switch.

Fine-tuning the charge transfer chromophores in a series of [2]rotaxane flip-switches yields a unique optical signal (purple colour) for one of the interactions allowing for facile determination of the position of the flip-switch equilibrium.

Eliminating the need for independent counterions in the construction of metal-organic rotaxane frameworks (MORFs).

The combination of a disulfonated-dibenzo-24crown-8 ether wheel and a dicationic 1,2-bis(pyridinium)ethane axle yields a neutral [2]pseudorotaxane which in combination with neutral metallic units such as a Cu(II)benzoate paddlewheel or Cu(I)Br unit yields one-dimensional coordination polymers (linear and bent) which are the first examples of charge neutral, metal-organic rotaxane frameworks.

Prognostic factors in severe community-acquired pneumonia in patients without co-morbid illness.

Objectives: We wished to determine the prognostic factors and the impact of initial empirical antibiotic therapy on the outcome of severe community-acquired pneumonia in patients without underlying co-morbid illness.

Methodology: This is a retrospective record review of consecutive patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia who were divided into those with and without underlying co-morbid illness.

Results: There were 182 patients including 112 primary (no co-morbid illness) and 70 secondary (underlying co-morbid illness) pneumonias.

Epididymal markers in rats exposed to the xenoestrogen p-nonylphenol: no biochemical effects at low dosages.

Harmful micro- and macroscopic effects of the environmental xenoestrogen p-nonylphenol (p-NP) on the male rat reproductive system have been previously reported. In our study, biochemical evidence of epididymal involvement was sought by determining epididymal marker values after exposure at levels below (5, 20 and 50 mg kg-1) and above (100, 250 and 400 mg kg-1) the "no observed adverse effect" level (NOAEL: 50 mg kg-1 day-1). Exposure to p-NL below the NOAEL did not affect biochemical marker values.

The prognostic significance of p53, mdm2, c-erbB-2, cathepsin D, and thrombocytosis in stage IB cervical cancer treated by primary radical hysterectomy.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the value of platelet count, p53, MDM2, c-erbB-2, and cathepsin D immunoreactivity as predictors of lymph node metastasis (LNM) as well as their prognostic significance in patients with stage IB cervical cancer treated by radical hysterectomy between 1991 through 1995. We also report on the outcome of a protocol considering lymph-vascular space invasion (LVSI) in addition to LNM as a strong motivation for adjuvant radiotherapy. A total of 93 patients were the subject of this retrospective study.

Serial interleukin 6 measurements in the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate serial interleukin 6 (IL6) levels in the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Subjects included 255 neonates from the Neonatal Unit of Johannesburg Hospital evaluated for suspected sepsis between February and May 1998. All infants had IL6, full blood count (FBC), C reactive protein (CRP) and blood cultures done at presentation.

Satisfaction with family planning services. Interpersonal and organisational dimensions.

In South Africa, client satisfaction with the quality of health care has received minimal attention; probably due to the lack of locally developed and tested measures. Therefore, we developed and tested a 20-item attitude scale to determine satisfaction with Family Planning (FP) services. The objectives of this study were to: ascertain reliability of the scale and confirm, through factor analysis, that satisfaction with the FP service was based on interpersonal and organisational dimensions.

Serotonergic targets in the treatment of antidepressant induced sexual dysfunction: a pilot study of granisetron and sumatriptan.

Antidepressant induced sexual dysfunction is a common adverse event that is particularly evident with serotonergic antidepressants. There is a paucity of clinical trial evidence on the treatment of this problem. While there is some evidence of involvement of the serotonin (5-HT2) receptor subtype in this phenomenon, other serotonergic receptor systems are not well studied.

Health and hygiene knowledge, attitudes and behaviour.

The aim of this study was to develop and test measures of health and hygiene knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. A questionnaire was administered to 240 women: 80 from a squatter camp, 80 from an informal settlement and 80 from a formal township. Reliability of the knowledge scale was 0.

Utilisation of oral health services, oral health needs and oral health status in a peri-urban informal settlement.

Interviews were conducted with 294 black residents (155 females and 138 males) of a peri-urban informal settlement in Gauteng to ascertain utilisation of oral health services, oral health needs and oral health status. Only 37 per cent of the sample had consulted a dentist or medical practitioner, usually for extractions. Teenagers and employed persons were significantly less likely to utilise dentists than the older age groups and unemployed persons.

Monitoring utilisation, quality & effectiveness of free antenatal care in an informal settlement in Gauteng.

The aim of this study was to monitor utilisation, quality and effectiveness of free antenatal care from a review of clinic records. Starting randomly, 197 clinic records from four clinics were reviewed. Antenatal care was initiated at the end of the second trimester or in the third trimester, in an inadequate quantity (64% had made less than three visits).

The epidemiology of malocclusion in Zambian urban school children.

This survey was undertaken to determine the occlusal status of a selected group of urban Zambian Black 9-12 year old children at 5 different schools in the same geographical area in order to determine their need for orthodontic treatment. The examination criteria of the Occlusal Index of Summers (1966) were used. Six hundred and one children who had not previously received orthodontic treatment were examined.

A double-blind randomised placebo controlled trial of postnatal norethisterone enanthate: the effect on postnatal depression and serum hormones.

Objectives: To determine the effect of postnatal administration of the long-acting progestogen contraceptive, norethisterone enanthate, on postnatal depression and on serum hormone concentrations, and their association with depression.

Design: Double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: A tertiary care hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.

A comparative study of the EpiScreen kit and a conventional method for the determination of seminal alpha-glucosidase activity.

Low alpha-glucosidase activity in seminal plasma is a marker of epididymal obstruction. The criterion standard for determining activity is the epididymal specific method, whereby the neutral iso-enzyme, specifically produced by the epididymis, is measured. A kit that determines total alpha-glucosidase activity (neutral iso-enzyme and the acid iso-enzyme originating from the prostate) has become available.